Please...just need some advice....

[IrishLondon]

Hi everyone,

I'm Ryan, I'm 31 and live in London.

I have had anxiety off and on for nearly 4 years now. It all started with nausea, light-headedness, dizziness which eventually led to terrible sleep problems that meant I was put on citalopram and stayed on it on and off for nearly 2 years. I finally came off it at the start of this year.

I've experienced a range of symptoms with my anxiety, but a new symptom has developed over the past few days which i'm finding is having a real impact on my life. I'm just finding my ears are so sensitive to all noise - whether it be the TV, washing dishes or my friends laughter in the pub....if its louder than a certain level it feels like it hurts my ears and sets of a huge swell of anxiety within me. I have had quite bad digestion problems recently which has upped my overall level of anxiety - so this may be causing the ear problems...but has anyone else experienced this hearing sensitivity? I feel like it's slowly driving me mad!!! :(

Thanks you so much and thank you for allowing me to vent

Ryan

[Daisy Sue]

Hi Ryan.. to answer your question - yes, this over-sensitivity is something a lot of anxiety sufferers experience, so try not to worry about it or focus on it.

There's a thread here where it was discussed a while ago - http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=133568&highlight=sensitivity

[IrishLondon]

Hi Daisy Sue,

Thank you so much for replying. I really appreciate it.

My mind was racing thinking once again it was some kind of physical illness - when deep down i know it is my anxiety like all my other symptoms have been,

I just find it so frustrating...you finally come to terms with one symptom and another comes along to take its place.

Thank you again and I hope you are ok?

Ryan

[Daisy Sue]

I'm not too bad thanks.. like you, I seem to lurch from one thing to another but so far I'm coping with each thing that comes along.

Anxiety feeds off worry & fear, so the more we worry about a physical symptom, the worse we feel... the one thing that helps me turn this around is mentally noting that although I feel poorly in one way or another, time helps in that nothing bad actually happens, and that gives me confidence & reinforces the belief that it's anxiety and nothing else.

Your stomach problems could be related too, but it's definitely worth having a chat with a pharmacist about this, describe the symptoms, and see if something bought over the counter helps at all.. upper stomach problems can really affect people sensitive to anxiety quite a lot, so it's worth a try.

[Fishmanpa]

I don't suffer from anxiety but I relate to this. It's certain sounds and repetitive sounds that set me off. I get a negative reaction from them. Not out of hand mind you, but it does get to me. I'm a musician so you think loud sounds wouldn't bother me and I play at some rather loud volumes at times but outside of that even loud noises perturb me.

Beeping especially (like from the microwave or a phone). I've always been that way as someone tapping or bouncing their leg just drove me batty! A dog barking for a long period of time makes me want to scream "SHUT THE *&!$# UP!! It was exasperated during my treatment as a hospital chemo ward and radiation machine have more beeps than a rush hour traffic jam! ~lol~ I get goose bumps when I hear beeping now as it brings back vivid memories of treatment.

There actually is a name for this when it becomes an issue and disruption in your everyday life. It's called Misophonia. I deal with it well but there are times...... ~whew~

Good Luck!

[IrishLondon]

Thanks guys,

This hearing issue led me to a panic attack this morning - I was hearing everything much too loud, even the water in the shower...i felt i was gradually tipping back into the severe anxiety i had a few years back.

So i went to the doctor. And basically burst out crying. She said these ear symptoms are "text book" of someone whose system has been over-sensitised by anxiety. and she said by bad digestion problems could indeed be anxiety related too. I have to say chatting about it and the tears did make me feel much better...and from this I take that I have been really anxious for a while but basically denying it.

Anyway, after the doc listening to me for a long time, we both agree that i will go back on a low dose of medication. It's the same medication that worked well for me a few years ago.

The sensitive ears are still there, as are the stomach problems but I feel a bit less anxious tonight just because i talked about it and let some of it out today.

I have to say, as a 31 year old man, crying in front of the doctor has left me feeling a bit embarrassed!

Thanks for your help
Ryan

[Daisy Sue]

A good old cry can be therapeutic sometimes ;)

I'm really pleased to hear you've seen the GP, and I hope you feel reassured by what she told you. The sensitivities should calm down once you do, so I hope the meds kick in soon and get you feeling more normal again.

[IrishLondon]

Thanks Daisy Sue

I just get so panicky when its noise I'm not able to control. For example in work today, a guy beside me was coughing and typing really hard on his keyboard. I really thought i was going to explode. It just feels like the volume on every single noise has turned up a level. I just hate having weird symptoms like this because I don't think anyone can relate to it.

So grateful to have somewhere to come to talk about this though

I hope you are doing ok

Ryan

[Daisy Sue]

Have you ever tried those squishy earplugs? I'm sure they have a proper name apart from squishy lol! They're made of foam, and you pinch them so that they fit right into the ear, and they then expand & block out a lot of excess noise. They're great for windy or cold weather too (which is what I use them for).

If you're allowed to use them at work, maybe do so for a few days until the noise sensitivity lessens? You could always say you've got a bit of earache or something if you don't want to explain what you're going through.